Butterflies are delightful. We share what we learn about butterflies through our blog. Located in north Florida, we wander the fields and woods with cameras for hundreds of hours per season.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

More New Caterpillars and Stuff

A short walk around some small oak trees a mile down the road resulted in a few more caterpillars and 'stuff'.

Nason's Slug - Natada nasoni

I need more hours in my day so I can look these new guys up to identify them. I'm still thinking that it will be a good winter job.

Angulose Prominent - Peridea angulosa
Identified by Shaina

All of these today were from oak trees. I didn't take long wandering. Grandsons were waiting at the house to pay a game with me. Jonathan won.

Oblique Heterocampa - Heterocampa obliqua
Identified by Shana

This one had sewed several leaves together and was hiding in its little nest.

As usual, I was touching gently and carefully, watching for flannel moth stinging caterpillars. They're all over the place and love oaks and, around my legs, blackberry plants. One day I will get zapped by one. Charlotte did the other day when she was moving some hackberry branches she had trimmed from around her back door.

Then I saw a wheel bug eating a flannel moth caterpillar. So who to boo? The wheel bug killing a caterpillar or the caterpillar for being a stinging caterpillar? The white fuzzy thing is the caterpillar.

And eggs of about five species of moths and other critters. I don't know the identity of most of them. This egg batch covered several leaves, hundreds of eggs. Now to wait and find out what they are.

A good end to another day except for the part of not winning the game! Of course, a grandson winning is a good thing too.

2 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Wow, amazing catches, Mrs. Smith. Really. I went critter hunting too, but around the city isn't as easy, nor ina wheelchair. I will be looking harder though. Please let us know what you learn about your find! You rock!

The neat thing is that most of what I find is at 5' and under. I know that 5' is too high of a reach for a wheelchair, though. Quite often the oddest caterpillars are on leaves that are on branches that are slighly tucked under the tree - the lowest branches. Watch for stinging caterpillars! There are several. The white fuzzy ones will fall off higher branches, land on you, and sting like crazy. Some caterpillars sting so bad that people end up with scars. When you're at the farm again and its not so hot, let's wander a bit where you can go and see what we can find!

About Me

Stephen and I have been married 39 years. We raised five children and are enjoying our son/daughter-in-laws and our grandchildren.
We 'own' Shady Oak Butterfly Farm, Inc, with our daughter (Charlotte) and enjoy working with our oldest son’s wife, Michelle (who runs the office and shipping part of the farm). It is located near Brooker, between Gainesville and Jacksonville in Florida. We raise over 30 species of butterflies for exhibit, educatation, research, release, and more.